The Da Gama Clock, which stands on the corner of Aliwal Street and Victoria embankment in Durban, was donated by the Portuguese government to commemorate the discovery of Durban by the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco De Gamma on 25 December 1498. The clock marks the 400th anniversary of Vasco Da Gama's arrival off Port Natal, and was initially installed in Point Road (Mahatma Ghandi Dr) in 1897. The Portuguese government donated the popular Durban landmark to the city as a symbolism of the naming of Natal. The name Natal is derived from a Portuguese word which means Christmas - the day the ship discovered the port.

The stone plaque which stands nearby, was officially unveiled in 1969 by the Portuguese ambassador to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Da Gama's birth. The Da Gama Clock was made by Walter Macfarlane & Co. at their Saracen Foundry in Glasgow. Macfarlane's was once considered the most important manufacturer of ornamental ironwork in Scotland. The Da Gama Clock resembles a small wedding chapel skilfully crafted with much intricate detail, and features a stone statue of the biblical character Samson in the centre. The Da Gama Clock establishes the connection of the city of Durban with Portuguese culture and tradition.